Controlling device for explosive-engines.



G. H. WATT. CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR. EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1908.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

IN VENTUR GEORGE H. M T T ATTORNEYS G. H. WATT.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

' APPLICATION TIL-ED MAY 15, 1908. 1,013,245.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

Wm m. 25

GEORaEH MTT ATTORNEYS coLuMluA PLANOGRAI'II CO.,WASIIINGTON, D c.

UNT sas A t GEORGE H. WATT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO WATT MOTOR COMPANY, OF DETROIT,.1V[ICI-IIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

Application filed May 15, 1908. Serial No. 432,960.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE I-I. Wn'rr, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of WVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Devices for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a reversing mechanism for four-cycle explosion engines, and more especially to means for starting a motor from rest in either direction.

The invention consists in. the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a four-cycle motor equipped with a reverse gear embodying features of the invention, the ignition circuit being indi cated in diagram. Fig. 2 is a plan view in detail of a timer. Fig. 3 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section, of the timer. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a timer with connections for a four cylinder engine. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a preferred form of timer arranged for a single cylinder. Fig. 6 is a view in vertical, central section thereof. Fig. 7 is a view in section on or about line 00-w of Fig. 5, showing the preferred form of timer arranged for a four cylinder motor. Fig. 8 is a viewin detail of a three step segment. 7

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the cylinder, 2 the base and 3 the main shaft of a four-cycle motor. A valve cam-shaft 4 has rotatable and longitudinally reciprocable engagement with bearing brackets 5 on the engine, and is driven from the main shaft by a pinion 6 in mesh with a gear 7, the latter having a wide face to permit shifting of the pinion. A compound cam having a forward eccentric a, concentric shut-off or neutral central collar 7) and reverse eccentric c, is keyed or otherwise secured to the cam shaft. An uprighttappet rod 8 whose lower end has a friction roller 9 yieldingly held on the cam by a suitably disposed spring 10, is longitudinally reciprocable in a guide 11 on the engine and is connected at its upper end to one end of an arm 12 whose other extremity is pivoted in a standard 13. A spring projected inlet valve stem 14 bears against and is depressed by the arm on the down stroke of the rod. A lever 15 fulcrumed between its ends on a post 16, bears at one end against a spring projected exhaust valve stem 17 the other end riding on the arm 12 over the tappet. The tappet rod thereby opens the valves alternately against springs 18 and 19 which return the valves to seat the levers having suflicient play to allow the springs to seat the valves except at the proper intervals of time during which the cam operates the tappet rod. The spring 10 is also stronger than the spring 19 so as to overcome the latter. The cam shaft 4 is shifted by a latch lever 20 pivoted on the frame and interlocked with a quadrant 21, a segmental gear 22 on the lever engaging a rack 23 on a sleeve 24longitudinally adjustable on the cam shaft between stop collars 25.

A cylindrical casing 26 of a timer is adjustably secured in a bracket 27 in the engine cylinder above the main shaft, and a vertical spindle 28 whose upper end extends through and is concentrically journaled in the casing base and whose lower portion is supported by a bearing bracket 29, is driven from the main shaft by a pair of bevel gears 30. In the preferred form of timer, a collar 31 with radial lug 32 keyed or otherwise secured to the spindle within the casing, carries three similarly disposed bell cranks 33 pivoted in parallel relation thereon. A handle 34 with spring latch permits adjustment of the easing for advancing or retarding the spark in a familiar manner. An upper contact ring 35 and a lower contact ring 36 constituting respectively forward and reverse stationary contacts are supported in insulated relation on the casing interior with a three step segment for each motor cylinder between them. The center step 37 of the segment is of normal contact length for regular operation of the motor in either direction and is swept by a grounded contact roll 38 on the middle bell crank. A second step 39 extends forward parallel to the upper ring 35 with which it is electrically connected by an insulated roll 40 on the upper crank, and a third step 41 extends backward parallel to the lower ring 36 wit-h which it is electrically connected by an insulated roller 42 on the lowest bell crank, the second and third steps being of suflicient length to provide a spark contact in either direction for any position of crank-shaft. The rolls 4:0 and 42 are insulated in any preferred manner, as, for

ried by the reverse lever 20 which closes on a contact point d on the lever quadrant when the lever is in forward position with the eccentric a operating the tappet rod 8, and with another contact point d when the lever is in reverse position with the eccentric c engaging the tappet, both points being grounded and therefore in electrical connection with the roller 38. The other limb oZ of the main circuit passes from the spark coil to a binding post (Z7 on the timer, connected to the central segment. Therefore when the lever is in either forward or reverse position the main circuit is closed intermittently as the roll 38 traverses the central step 87. A cut out switch D may be inserted in the main circuit. One limb of the secondary circuit is a wire a connecting one terminal of the secondary coil and a spark plug A in the cylinder head. The other limb consists of a conductor a grounded on the engine, conveniently through the primary lead 6?.

A conductor a connects one of the contact points a of a two-point starting switch A with the ring 35 through a binding post a 'while a wire 0 connects the other terminal 0* of the switch with the ring 36 through a binding post 0 The switch lever a is grounded on the engine through a suitable conductor a which as a matter of convenience, may be connected at the quadrant lever terminal d.

The timer has a three step segment for each cylinder, as shown in Fig. 7. In operation, the motor, when running, is stopped by bringing the latch lever to center position, breaking the electric ignition circuit, and suspending all valve movements with the valves closed. To start, the timer control lever is moved to one side or the other of its zero position according to direction of start desired, the two-point ground wire switch is closed accordingly, and the reverse lever moved to the proper end of its quadrant. This movement first shifts the proper cam eccentrics under the tappets and then closes the primary circuit. Inasmuch as at least'one cylinder of the multi-cylinder motor is standing under some compression, the closing of the circuit through the ring and segment of the timer causes the usual spark at the plug and produces ignition in the cylinder, thereby starting the motor in the de sired direction. The next and succeeding cylinders to reach the ignition point are fired in regular order so that the extension roll may be cut out by opening the starting switch, thus lessening the period of closed circuit and saving the battery or other generator to that extent. Thus the motor may be started with equal facility in either direction, provided an unburned charge is left in any of the motor cylinders. Otherwise it is started in ordinary way by hand crank.

While the form of timer just described is preferable, the arrangement shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 may be used wherein the outer casing 26, spindle 28 and control lever 34 are the same and likewise the three bell cranks 33.

An insulated contact roller a journaled on the outer arm of the upper bell-crank bridges the interval between an upper insulated contact segment a and a central insulated solid ring (Z in the casing, a spring 33" holding the roller yieldingly against them. A non-insulated or grounded contact roller (Z on the center bellcrank is likewise pressed against the central ring. An insulated roller 0 on the third bell crank bridges the interval between the center ring and a lower insulated segment 0 The connections are as indicated. For a multi-cylinder motor this type of timer is provided with a pair of contact points for each cylinder in proper relation as indicated in Fig. 4, the leads a from the upper forward points being connected in parallel with a pole a of the switch A and the lower points in parallel through the conductors 0 with the other pole a of the switch. The bell cranks are set quartering as indicated. The cam shaft 4 is extended and provided with a cam for each cylinder.

The single timer and reverse lever control the motor which may be started in either direction as desired or reversed while running. There is no unnecessary duplication of parts and the mechanism is not readily thrown out of adjustment.

Obviously the valve mechanism may be of any preferred form adapted, to operate by the double eccentric cam which insures the closing of the valves when the tappet or like operating member is at the neutral part of the cam. Any form of movement contact arms. which run in either direction may be used.

The details of construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination with a four-cycle explosive engine and an electric ignition system therefor, of a reversible valve gear, a starting switch in the system having a forward and a reverse position of closure, a me chanical timer in the system circuit having a three-step stationary contact, and forward and reverse stationary contacts secured in insulated relation, and movable members adapted to operatively connect said contacts in synchronism with the operation of the valves, the starting switch being adapted to ground either the forward or reverse insulated contact with the engine.

2. The combination with a four-cycle explosive engine and an electric ignition system therefor of a reversible valve gear, a mechanical timer in the circuit provided with an insulatedstationary contact having a forward step, a reverse step, and an intermediate regular step, a forward insulated stationary contact, a movable contact member adapted to intermittently connect the forward step .and insulated contact, a reverse insulated stationary contact, a reverse movable member adapted to intermittently connect the reverse step and second insulated contact, a regular movable contact member adapted to intermittently close the circuit through the regular step in synchronism with the operation of the valve gear, and a starting switch adapted to ground either the forward or reverse stationary insulated contact on the engine.

3. The combination with a four-cycle explosive engine and an electric ignition system therefor of a reversible valve gear, a mechanical timer provided with insulated stationary forward, reverse and regular contacts, in parallel, a movable contact member coacting with the regular contact to intermittently close the circuit in synchronism with the operation of the valve gear when the valve gear is in either position, a forward movable member adapted to intermittently connect the forward and regular contacts, a reverse movable contact member adapted to intermittently connect the reverse and regular contacts and a starting switch in the circuit adapted to ground the forward contact on the engine when in forward position, and the reverse contact with the engine when in reverse position.

4. The combination with a four-cycle explosive engine and an electric ignition system therefor of a reversible valve gear, a mechanical timer provided with insulated stationary forward, reverse and regular contacts, a movable contact member coacting with the regular contact to intermittently close the circuit in synchronism with the operation of the valve gear when the valve gear is in either position, a forward movable member adapted to intermittently connect the forward and regular contacts, a reverse contact member adapted to intermittently connect the reverse and regular contacts, and

astarting switch in the circuit adapted to ground the forward contact on the engine when in forward position, and the reverse contact with the engine when in reverse position, the regular contact having elongated forward and reverse steps swept by the forward and reverse movable members adapted to close the circuit in any position of the engine crank shaft when the engine is stationary. I

5. In a four-cycle explosive engine having an electric ignition system, a tappet rod on each motor cylinder adapted to operate the intake and exhaust valves thereof, a longitudinally reciprocable cam-shaft, a cam on the shaft for each tappet having a forward and reverse eccentric and an intermediate neutral collar, means for shifting the cam shaft adapted to bring either set of eccentrics or collar in operative relationto the tappets, a mechanical timer having a stationary contact with forward, reverse and regular steps electrically connected to the sparking terminal of each cylinder, a moving contact member adapted to intermittently engage the regular step of the stationary contact in synchronism with the operation of the valves when they are operated by the eccentrics, forward and reverse stationary insulated contacts, a forward moving contact member adapted to intermittently connect the forward step and forward insulated contact electrically, a reverse moving contact member adapted to intermittently connect the reverse step and reverse stationary insulated contact electrically, said forward and reverse steps presenting elongated contact faces whereby the timer may close the circuit when the motor is stationary at any point in the engine cycle, and a switch in the circuit adapted to out either one or the other of the insulated contacts into the circuit.

6. In a four-cycle explosive engine having an electric ignition system, a mechanical timer having a contact for each cylinder provided with a regular step coacting with a moving member when the engine is in motion to close the circuit intermittently in proper relation to the engine cycle, and with auxiliary forward and reverse steps, and forward and reverse movable members each adapted to electrically connect the adjacent auxiliary step with the sparking terminal of the cylinder when the engine is stationary.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE H. WATT.

Witnesses:

C. R. STIGKNEY, LOUISE GAGNoN.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

